Combination drawing board and filing cabinet



April 5,

Filed Aug.

c. B. ULRICH, HR.. ETAL 3,244,465

COMBINATION DRAWING BOARD AND FILING CABINET 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllHlIHllllllHlll l! UIIIHIIIIHIIIHIII III I NVENTOR.

CHARLES B. ULRICH, JR.

FOREST G. STARK 4 TTORNEYS April 5, 1966 c. B. ULRICH, JR., ETAL 3,244,465

COMBINATION DRAWING BOARD AND FILING CABINET Filed Aug. 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

7 BY FOREST G. STARK @4M 63M, @www A TTORNEYS CHARLES B. ULRICH, JR.

April 5, 1966 c. B. ULRICH, JR., ETAL 3,244,465

COMBINATION DRAWING BOARD AND FILING CABINET Filed Aug. 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 CHARLES B. ULRICH, JR. BY FOREST G. STARK ATTORNEYS' United States Patent 3,244,465 COMBINATION DRAWING BOARD AND FILING CABINET Charles B. Ulrich, Jr., Lakewood, and Forest G. Stark,

Jamestown, N.Y., assignors to Art'Metal, Inc., Jamestown, N.Y. v

Filed Aug. Z6, 1964, Ser. No. 392,081 6 Claims. (Cl. S12-231) This invention relates to an improved combination drawing board and blueprint (or other oflice paper) tiling cabinet, or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved ling cabinet of the type having a hinged cover disposed substantially horizontally when -in cabinet-closing position,`but swingable to an inclined drawing board position, and also to a vertically open position for full raccess to the tiling cabinet interior.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combination iiling cabinet and drawing board arrangement of the type employing a drawing board member functioning also as the cabinet cover when in horizontally disposed position and which is vertically disposed when in cabinet open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device as aforesaid, a counterbalance control device for the drawing board or cover which inherently operates to compensate for gravity load variances thereon about the hinge axis, due to swinging of the member between horizontal closed and inclined, and/or vertically open attitudes.

Another object is to provide a unitized drafting table and tiling cabinet device, which features protected storage for the draftsmans work papers, instruments, etc.

Another object is to provide an improved device. as aforesaid which features provision whereby all` storage Yareas of the device are protected against pilferage by means of only one key-controlled lock.

Other objects and' advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter, and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a combination drawing board and ling cabinet device of the invention with the cover portion shown in drawing board position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, with the cover or drawing board portion shown in cabinet-closing position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as suggested by line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a section, taken as suggested by line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken as suggested by line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6, 7 are fragmentary sections taken as suggested by lines 6-6 of FIG. 5 and line 7-7 of FIG. 4, respectively; and l FIG.,8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 but showing the cover portion of the cabinet structure elevated to an inclined drawing board position, and the instrument drawer pulled open.

In the drawing herewith the invention is illustrated by way of example to -comprise a filing cabinet 1'0 which is of the vertical plan iiling or tub type, such as are particularly adapted for the storage of drawings, blueprints, or the like. Thus as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, pockets 12 are suspended therein from rods 14l extending transversely of the upper interior of the cabinet and carried by end rollers 1S running in tracks 16 provided in the side walls of the cabinet, to provide open top slings into which folders carrying large, flat articles, such as drawings, tracings, blueprints or the like, may be lowered, to stand edgewise therein for ling purposes. However, it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to iiling cabinets of other types such as are used for storing other commodities.

As shown herein, the side wall portions of the cabinet 10' extend' rearwardly a substantial distance beyond the rear wall and the rear edge of the bottom wall, and the ripper rear corner portions of the side wall members are interconnected by means ofa` rail 17. A hat cover plate S is hinged to' the rail 17 as indicated at 19. Thus, the cover 18 is arranged to swing between a horizontal cabinet-closing position, and a vertically standing cabinetopen position', or' to an nterm'ediately inclined or drawing boardl position, as illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 3 herewith; Preferably, the cabinet of this inventionl will be designed and constructed to resist re damage to its contents, and for such purpose the wall and cover members are fabricated to comprise double sheet metal panels containing lire resistant or insulative material. In

any case, the cover member 18 ofthe cabinet willy be constructed so as to be rigid in all respects so as to provide the requisite solidity for functioning as a drawing board Base. Thus, the panel 181 per se will preferably be a fabrication of substantial thickness, made of metal or plywood or composites of wood, metal or plastic fabrications, as may be preferred; and as a consequence will be of substantial weight and therefore difficult to manually control during raising and lowering thereof unless adequately counterbal'anced. Obviously, to attain the objects of the invention, the gravity load variances on the cover as it swings about its hinge axis between horizontal and vertical attitudes, must be automatically compensated for in the inherent operation of the device.

For this purpose, as shown herein a compact spiral spring device 20- (FIG. 5)' is arranged in combination with a tension transmitting strap 22 and a compression strut 24 which pivotally connects at its upper end 25 to the cabinet cover; the parts being so arranged that when the cover is in its upright posi-tion whereby the gravity loads thereon about its hinge axis are nil, the device transmits no biasing force to the cover; while when the cover is moved towards a horizontal attitude whereby the gravity loads thereon about its hinge axis steadily increase, the device transmits tothe cover appropriately increasing biasing forces tending t-o drive the strut 24 upwardly and thus countering the forces of gravity. It will of course be understood that one or more of the spring balance devices may be employed as desired, and that a practical arrangement may include paired units at yopposite sides of the cabinet interior.

The spring and lever parts are generally so selected and dimensioned and arranged that at all positions of the cover the forces exerted by the spring tending to pull upwardly upon the strut will approx-imately equal the gravity load on the cover about the hinge axis thereof. More specifically, however, it i`s` preferred to arrange the spring tension and the components of the control mechanism so that throughout all phases of the cover movement the spring tension tends to slightly overbalance the weight of the cover. Thus, the spring tension may be so adjusted that whenever the 4cover is stationary :in any closed or open position the inertia ofthe cover and the friction in the moving part connections cooperate to maintain the cover in stationary position; but whenever an opening impetus is given manually to the cover, the inertia and friction forces are thereby overcome and the cover tends to rise to fully open position with minimum assistance from the operator.'` Reversely, whenever the cover is standingY in open position and manual impetus is given thereby for the purpose of closing the cover it thereupon proceeds to swing downwardly, but the slight overbalance effect of the spring operates gradually to damp the downward closing movement of the cover. This eliminates possibility )f falling or slamming of the cover down into closed posiyion such as might otherwise injure the operator.

To positively hold the cover panel 18 in any preferred drawing board position, movements of the strut 24 1re controlled by a screw knob 26 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6) which controls a brake strap 27 to clamp against the itrut and to hold it against motion, whenever the cover panel 18 is in its desired position.

As shown best in FIGS. l, 3, the cabinet portion hous- .ng the filing facilities thereof is limited to the bulk of :he forward space within the total cabinet planform con- :our but terminatesat a false rear wall 28 so as to pro- Jide an open well or knee space 30 at the rear of the zabinet. Hence, a draftsman may sit up to the rear of :he cabinet and use the cover panel 18 as an inclined :lrawing board support as shown in FIG. 1, while his mees extend comfortably into the well portion 30. A foot rail 32 is provided to span the space between the ,ower rear corner portions of the side walls of the cabinet itructure, to provide both a convenient foot rest for the iraftsman and also a structural brace for the bottom rear ends of the cabinet side walls. This, in combination with the top rail 17, provides a rigid structural arrangenent, whereby the device may be mounted on casters or :he like as shown, and shoved about from place to place without deliecting the cabinet side wall panels, or otherwise damaging the item.

The space above the knee well 30 is closed by a plate 33 spaced below the top level of the cabinet walls to provide a storage area for the draftsmans tools. As shown at 34 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 7, 8) a convenience or instrument drawer 34 may be provided to occupy a portion of the pocket space and to be slidable as shown in FIGS. l, 3, 8 in the upper level of the cabinet structure, for holding the draftsmans smaller tools and accessories; and an automatic combination pull-out stop and lock for he drawer 34 is provided as shown at 38. The device 58 comprises a spring metal strap anchored as indicated at 39 to a top plate 40 which is fixed to the cabinet wall members; and the strap 38 includes downturned legs 42, 44 at its front and rear end, respectively, which extend through perforated portions of the support plate 40. The rear leg 44 is dimensioned so as to extend downwardly at all times into the interior of the drawer` 34 so as to engage the rear wall 46 of the drawer when the drawer is pulled out as shown in FIG. 8, thus preventing unintended falling out of the drawer. Slight upward tilting of the drawer however, will then free the drawer and permit it to be removed. The spring strap 38 is set to normally assume an angle as shown in FIG. 8 whereby the nger portion 42 thereof is elevated so as to clear the rear wall 46 of the drawer. Hence, when in this condition the linger 42 does not interfere with use of the drawer. However, the lock and cabinet cover parts are so proportioned and arranged that whenever the cabinet cover 18 is lowered to closed position it bears down upon the spring strap 38 and depresses it so that the finger portion 42 engages inside the rear wall of the drawer 34, thereby locking the drawer in closed position. Then upon lifting of the cover panel 18 to drawing board position, it automatically unlocks the drawer for use.

Hence, it will Ybe appreciated that at the end of a work period the drawing instruments and the like may be stowed away'in the drawer which is then closed, and the drawings, etc., may then be stowed away in the iiling pockets under the drawing board; and the latter may then be closed down and locked. Hence, provision is made for convenient stowage of all items, and by means of a single locking operation (as by means of a keylock 50, FIG. 2) at the front of the cabinet, all of the work components are secured against molestation until the cabinet is again unlocked for the next work period. Accessory convenience devices are provided in the form of a pencil trough as indicated at 54 and a collapsible extension shelf y 55 (FIGS. 2, 3) for use'when referring to blueprints or the like carried by the filing pockets of the cabinet. As indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawing herewith, at least the front edge portion of the top cover 18 is preferably dimensioned to extend forwardly beyond the profile plane of the front wall of the cabinet, whereby to provide an overhanging ledge upon which accessory devices may be clamped. For example, a screw bracket may be clamped thereon for support of a reading lamp, or a drafting machine, and other drafting accessory items as may be desired. Or, alternatively, any suitable extension ledge devices may be attached to the front and/or side edges of the top member 18, to provide further means for attachment of such accessory devices and/ or to extend the planform area of the cover member 18.

It will of course be understood that although only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of example herein, various changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A combination drawing table and ling cabinet comprising an open-top box-like filing cabinet member having bottom, front, back and opposite side wall portions defining therebetween a filing space, said side wall portions extending rearwardly beyond said back and bottom wall portions and thereby providing a knee-space therebetween, a top rail extending between the upper rear corner portions of said side wall members and overhead spanning said knee-space, a combination filing cabinet cover and drawing board member dimensioned to lie flatwise against the upper edges of said side and front and back wall portions to provide a top cover for the filing cabinet space therewithin and hingedly connected along its rear edge to said top rail whereby to be swingable between horizontal cabinet-closing position and upwardly inclined drawing board positions and vertically standing cabinet fully opened position, a strut-arm pivotally connected at one end to said cover member at a position offset from said hinge and extending downwardly along an inside wall of said cabinet, a mechanism for counterbalancing opening and closing movements of said cover includingmeans connected to said strut and pushing against said strut when the cover is swung downwardly towards its closed position to compensate for varying gravity forces thereon, and a cover position lock device comprising a brake member manually adjustable from externally of said cabinet for holding said arm in any position of cover adjustment.

2. A combination drawing table and tiling cabinet "comprising an open-top box-like tiling cabinet member having bottom, front, back, and opposite side wall portions dening therebetween a tiling space, said side wall portions extending rearwardly beyond said back and bottom wall portions and thereby providing a knee-space therebetween, a top rail extending between the upper rear corner portions of said side wall members and overhead spanning said knee-space, an instrument drawer disposed in overhead relation to said knee-space and slidable in and out through an apertured portion of said top rail, a combination filing cabinet cover and drawing board member dimensioned to lie atwise against the upper edges of said side and front and back wall portions to provide a top cover for the instrument drawer and filing cabinet space therewithin and hingedly connected along its rear edge to said top rail whereby to be swingable between horizontal cabinet-closing position and upwardly inclined drawing board positions and vertically standing cabinet fully opened position, a mechanism for counterbalancing opening and closing movements of said cover, and a cover position lock device comprising a brake member manually adjustable from externally of said cabinet for holding said cover in any position of adjustment.

3. A combination drawing table and ling cabinet comprising an open-top box-like filing cabinet member having bottom, front, back, and opposite side Wall portions defining therebetween a tiling space, said side wall portions extending rearwardly beyond said back and bottom wall portions and thereby providing a knee-space therebetween, a top rail extending between the upper rear corner portions of said side wall members and overhead spanning said knee-space, an instrument drawer disposed in overhead relation to said knee-space and slidable in and out through an apertured portion of said top rail, a combination ling cabinet cover and drawing board member dimensioned to lie flatwise against the upper edges of said side and front and back wall portions to provide a top cover for the instrument drawer and filing cabinet space therewithin and hingedly connected along its rear edge to said top rail whereby to be swingable between horizontal cabinet-closing position and upwardly inclined drawing board positions and vertically standing cabinet fully opened position, a lock for said drawer automatically operated by closing of said cover to lock said drawer against opening thereof, a mechanism forl counterbalancing opening and closing movements of said cover, and a cover position lock device comprising a brake member manually adjustable from externally of said cabinet for holding said cover in any position of adjustment.

4. A combination drawing table yand filing cabinet comprising an open-top box-like iling cabinet member having bottom, front, back, and opposite side wall panels defining therebetween a filing space, said side wall panels having portions extending rearwardly beyond said back and bottom Wall panelsand thereby providing a kneespace therebetween, a top rail extending between the upper rear extending corner portions of said side wall panels and overhead spanning said knee-space, a foot rail extending between the bottom rear corner portions of said extending side wall portions and providing in cooperation with said top rail structural bracings for said extending side wall portions, a combination tiling cabinet cover and drawing board mem-ber dimensioned to lie iiatwise against the upper edges of said side and front and back wall portions to provide a top cover -for the filing cabinet space therewithin and hingedly connected along its rear edge to said top rail whereby to be swingable between horizontal cabinet-closing position and upwardly inclined drawing board positions and vertically standing cabinet fully opened position, a strut arm pivotally connected at one end to said cover member at a position olfset from said hinge and extending downwardly along an inside wall of said cabinet, a mechanism for counterbalancing opening and closing movements of said cover including means connected to said strut and pushing against said strut when the cover is swung downwardly towards its closed position to compensate for varying gravity forces thereon, and a cover position lock device comprising a brake member manually adjustable from externally of said cabinet for holding said arm in any position of cover adjustment.

5. A combination drawing table and filing cabinet comprising an open-top box-like ling cabinet member having bottom, front, back, and opposite side wall portions dening therebetween a iiling space, said side wall portions extending rearwardly beyond said back and bottom wall portions and thereby' providing a kneespace therebetween, a top rail extending between the upper rear corner portions of said side wall members and overhead spanning said knee-space, an instrument drawer disposed in overhead relation to said knee-space and slidable in and out through an apertured portion of said top rail, a combination filing cabinet cover and drawing board member dimensioned to lie -flatwise against the upper edges of said side and front and back wall portions to provide a top cover for the instrument drawer and tiling cabinet space therewithin and hingedly connected along its rear edge to said top rail whereby to be swingable between horizontal cabinet-closing position and upwardly inclined drawing board positions and vertically standing cabinet fully opened position, a lock for said drawer automatically operated by closing of said cover to lock -said drawer against opening thereof, a mechanism for counterbalancing opening and closing movements of said cover, and a cover position lock device comprising a brake member manually adjustable from externally of said cabinet for holding said cover in any position of adjustment, a trough device carried by and running alongside said top rail for reception of draftsmans pencils and the like, and a foldable shelf carried on the front wall panel of said cabinet to facilitate use of the lling cabinet space.

6. A combination drawing table and tiling cabinet comprising an open-top box-like tiling cabinet member having bottom, front, back, and opposite side wall portions deiining therebetween ya ling space, said side Wall portions extending rearwardly beyond said back and bottom wall portions and thereby providing a knee-space therebetween, a top rail extending between the upper rear corner portions of said side wall members and overhead spanning said knee-space, a combination iling cabinet cover and drawing board member dimensioned to lie atwise against the upper edges of said side and Ifront and back wall portions to provide a top cover for the iling cabinet space therewithin and hingedly connected along its rear edge to said top rail whereby to be swingable between horizontal cabinet-closing position and upwardly inclined drawing board positions and vertically standing cabinet fully opened position, a mechanism for counterbalancing opening and closing movements of said cover, and a cover position lock device comprising a brake member manually adjustable from externally of said cabinet for holding said cover in any position of adjustment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 783,973 2/ 1905 McAnelly 108-9 2,215,462 9/1940 Davidson et al 108-9 X 2,474,596 6/ 1949 Schomburg 312--231 2,671,709 3/1954- Radzyner 312422 X 2,681,263 6/ 1954 Angellillo 312-319 X 2,972,207 2/ 1961 Hiers 108-9 X CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

6. A COMBINATION DRAWING TABLE AND FILING CABINET COMPRISING AN OPEN-TOP BOX-LIKE FILING CABINET MEMBER HAVING BOTTOM, FRONT, BACK, AND OPPOSITE SIDE WALL PORTIONS DEFINING THEREBETWEEN A FILLING SPACE, SAID SIDE WALL PORTIONS EXTENDING REARWARDLY BEYOND SAID BACK AND BOTTOM WALL PORTIONS AND THEREBY PROVIDING A KNEE-SPACE THEREBETWEEN, A TOP RAIL EXTENDING MEMBERS AND OVERHEAD CORNER PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE WALL MEMBERS AND OVERHEAD SPANNING SAID KNEE-SPACE, A COMBINATION FILING CABINET COVER AND DRAWING BOARD MEMBER DIMENSIONED TO LIE FLATWISE AGAINST THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE AND FRONT AND BACK WALL PORTIONS TO PROVIDE A TOP COVER FOR THE FILING CABINET SPACE THEREWITH AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG ITS REAR EDGE TO SAID TOP RAIL WHEREBY TO BE SWINGABLE BETWEEN HORIZONTAL CABINET-CLOSING POSITION AND UPWARDLY INCLINED DRAWING BOARD POSITIONS AND VERTICALLY STANDING CABINET FULLY OPENED POSITION, A MECHANISM FOR COUNTERBALANCING OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS OF SAID COVER, AND A COVER POSITION LOCK DEVICE COMPRISING A BRAKE MEMBER MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE FROM EXTERNALLY OF SAID CABINET FOR HOLDING SAID COVER IN ANY POSITION OF ADJUSTMENT. 